The BrickYard, the hang-out of Mini4WD enthusiasts, now has a bigger home at the 3rd level of Glorietta 2 in Makati. It used to be located at Glorietta 5, but it was only a temporary pop-up Mini4WD racetrack and hobby space. In its new home, the BrickYard, right next to Lil’s Hobby Center, features a beginner and intermediate tracks, a larger space for those who want to build and tinker with their Mini4WDs, and a small shop area for those who need new parts to fix their cars. The grand opening of The BrickYard was attended by Master Modeller, President, and Chairman of Tamiya, Mr. Shunsaku Tamiya, who signed autographs, took photos with guests, and witnessed the lively Mini4WD, Model Kit, and RC hobby communities in the Philippines.

“It makes me happy to see that Tamiya is still well-loved in the Philippines,” Mr. Tamiya said at the opening. The BrickYard revived the hype for Mini4WD that began in the late 90s.

The BrickYards features two tracks – a beginner and an intermediate one.The BrickYard, which has a small shop area for Mini4WD builders and tinkerers, is right beside Lil’s Hobby Center.

“I’m excited for our new venue,” said Ferdie Kahn, owner of The Brickyard, “When we opened The BrickYard last year, we wanted to rekindle the hearts of the old hobbyists and the older fans back to their love of Mini4WD. Now, we love seeing these older fans, most of them now parents themselves, bringing their children to The BrickYard. There’s just something great about watching parents teach their kids about Mini4WDs and RCs. That alone is a wonderful thing.”

Master Modeller, President, and Chairman of Tamiya, Mr. Shunsaku Tamiya (center) signs a Mini4WD that Bam Amor (Tamiya Hobbyist and Adobotech.net blogger) bought at the store. Mr. Tamiya is accompanied to his public appearance at the grand launch of The Brickyard by his interpreter (left most).Tamiya President Shunsaku Tamiya and Lil’s Hobby Center owner Ferdie Kahn try out the tracks at The BrickYard.

Kahn hopes that the new location would continue the enthusiasm for the Mini4WDs that The BrickYard revived last year. To find out more about The BrickYard, visit BrickYardLHC on Facebook, or drop by the new store at Glorietta 2 and experience the Mini4WD love for yourself.

Lots of people line up in front of the just-opened The BrickYard, to check out the tracks, the store, and have a Tamiya personally signed by Mr. Tamiya himself.

Irwin Allen Rivera loves his wife's cooking so much he's now twice the man he used to be. His English essay won a Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Award for Literature in 2012. His philosophical-horror story appeared in Philippine Speculative Fiction 8 (2013). He was managing editor and lead writer of Sites and Symbols 2 (2005), a coffee-table book about buildings in UP Diliman - his alma mater (BA Philosophy; MA Creative Writing continuing). He worked at the UP Diliman Information Office before shifting to web content writing. His sudden fiction, "Notwithstanding Pigs," initially a Friendster testimonial, appeared in Philippines Graphic (2006) and in Very Short Stories for Harried Readers (2007). He used to write for www.technoodling.net.